the beat of your heart
by demonika
Summary: Hermione is trying to cling on to the normality of life, working as a healer in st. mongo s... she has a relationship with Ron which is on the verge of crumbling just as a new entry comes to her ward... barely clinging on to his own life... literally...
1. Chapter 1

A tuft of thick brown hair swung as Hermione turned and surveyed the area behind her. It was Ron who had playfully tugged at her, Hermione looked disapprovingly at him, trying hard to hide the smile towing at the corners of her lips, "Ronald!" She hissed, and then turned back to the one lying ahead of her unconsciously on the white sheets of the hospital bed, her patient.

"have I not made myself clear about disturbing me while I'm in the ward?" She expertly pointed her wand at the patient`s chest, a slow streak of bluish white light erupted from it and penetrated into the body.

"but I was missing you." Ron said sulkily, and walked up to stand beside her, staring down at the person`s face thoughtfully, "isn`t he the one who was under the imperius curse?" it was admirable how Ron seemed to remember all of her patient`s faces and their causes too for that matter. Hermione nodded.

"let him rest, come and grab a bite with me." He urged, wrapping his arm on her lean shoulders.

"I can`t Ron," Hermione said, falling short of making her voice sound sharp, "the recess hasn`t started yet."

Ron looked down at his wrist watch, he had finally figured out how to tell time on that muggle thing, "only ten minutes." He said, dragging her by her arm, "came on, you work too hard." Hermione tried to protest but she was in no position to struggle out of Ron`s grip. He pulled her, although it was not so much of a pull, just a gentle tug since Hermione had given up on the protesting, all the way out of the ward, the other healers were filing out too. It seemed as though only Hermione had to stick up to her patients till the small badge on her chest started buzzing as an indication that the official break had started.

It had only been two weeks since Voldemort`s fall, two weeks since they had all been desperately trying to embrace normality of life, trying to get over the past and hold on to what was the after math of the war had to offer. Ron worked in the law department, admitting that he had always found it to be interesting although he never regarded any rules in school. Harry had been immediately taken up as an aurror, since many of the deatheaters were running loose, crazed by their precious dark lord`s fall, while Hermione`s position as a qualified healer had been established quite strongly too. It had almost become a daily ritual for the trio to meet for the tea breaks and let the burden of the day`s work waste away as they chatted. Getting out of the controlled environment of the ward, Ron loosened his grip on her arm and said, "it's about time you started taking off a little earlier."

"there`s a time for everything, Ron." Hermione sighed, walking through the corridor with Ron, he didn't reply. They crossed the main hall, walking pass and side along many attendants, some patients and healers. A few heads turned to them as they walked, Hermione smiled at the recognizable faces while just turned away from the unknown ones. They reached the elevator and stepped in, along with several others, some of them were the healers` assistants holding files of the patients. The lift descended, pausing at different levels to drop some of its occupants and taking some others in. As they reached the main exit, the only ones other than them were two of the other healers, Hermione hadn`t seen them before since they might have been working on some department other than hers and she barely came out of her ward except for with Ron or Harry when they came to get her for the breaks. She was heading the newly opened ward, 'war woes' it dealt especially with the casualties that had taken place during the war. Some of the patients had been in fatally severe conditions when brought in and the numbers were increasing day by day as the ministry swept across the war-influenced areas, but with great relief Hermione could recall that none of her patients had perished. Each one was saved, maybe because of the fact that she put extra effort in saving them, like they were one of her closest relation. Her badge started vibrating, telling her that her break had officially begun, that gave her an odd sense of relief that she hadn`t left the building before formally been allowed to.

Stepping out into the bright sunlight, Hermione couldn`t help but extend her hand to shield her eyes. They walked up to the apparition area and waited since a few others were ahead of them. As the way cleared, Ron stepped forward and disappeared out of her sight, not before giving her a slight grin. There was no need to tell her where they`d meet since they always spent their breaks at the 'luminous leisure.' Harry had suggested it, because it was probably few of the places where not many people came walking up to him and started interrogating him or asked for autographs, it offered some privacy. Picturing the slightly shabby glass windows and the big door of the inn, Hermione closed her eyes, concentrated and disappeared with a small crack.

Ron was waiting for her at the entrance; he looked at her admiringly with a glint in his eyes, "what Ron?" She asked edgily, feeling uncomfortable under his blue eyes.

"have I told you lately how much I love you?" Ron took a step towards her and took her hand in his, never breaking the eye contact.

"you don`t need to say it." Hermione rolled her eyes, smiling timidly. She walked with him through the threshold of the door. They immediately found Harry sitting at the table at the corner of the room, that table was where they sat everyday so almost every regular visitor knew it as their table. They walked up to him, who looked up at them upon hearing them approach and smiled, avoiding looking at their locked hands.

His two friends had been recently announced as a couple and Harry knew Ron was doing all in his place to prove it. Although Harry doubted if they had done anything more than hold hands in public and tease each other.

"Hi." He greeted.

"hey mate." Ron let go of Hermione`s hand and patted Harry`s back before seating himself on a chair next to him. Hermione occupied a seat at his other side.

"I didn`t see you leave for the ministry this morning, Harry." Hermione said, a bit of concern in her eyes as she watched her friend.

"yeah, about that…" Harry ran a hand through his hair, remembering how he had snuck up to Ginny`s room earlier that day, it had been only a brush of lips when Harry thought it was too much for him to take and walked out, deciding to go to work early and avoid any uneasy conversation with his friends. "I had loads to do."

Hermione nodded understandingly while Ron just stared at him, "don`t you dare become like her too, work`s not that important."

"Then _what_ is?" Hermione asked distractedly, waving her hand in the air to get the attention of a waiter.

Ron beckoned her question off and shouted to the waiter who had caught her attention, "the usual!"

Ron walked Hermione through the corridor that led to her ward after the break, she had been going on about how she had taken an extra ten minutes when she stopped in mid-sentence locating Lawrence Diglude walking up to them from ahead. She immediately straightened up and released Ron`s hand, he was her senior and had a respectable air around him which didn`t have openings for his subordinates holding hands with their partners in his presence.

He stopped near her and looked at her through his thin glasses, "where were you Miss Granger?"

Hermione`s cheeks flushed at realizing that he must have been referring to the time before the break, before she could reply, however, Diglude spotted Ron standing at her side and gave an accepting nod, saving her the trouble.

Ron smiled gratefully at the man and then said, once sure that he wouldn`t give Hermione a hard time because of him, "excuse me then. Bye Hermione." He added in an undertone and turned around to leave.

Once they were alone Diglude gestured for her to follow him in his office.

"Miss Granger," he sat himself down on his chair and waved for her to the same but Hermione felt more comfortable with the standing, "I thought I should inform you that the ministry is going on an expedition to one of the newly discovered war affiliated areas, I am having doubts that there maybe some new entries in your ward."

There was a short pause after which Hermione assured, "I will go through the preparations as soon as I can, sir."

Diglude nodded, "that`s all."

Lets go back… back to the beginning.

I`m a soldier, wounded up so I must give up the fight, there`s nothing more for me, lead me away, or leave me lying here.

It's a new world, it's a new start, its alive with the beating of a young heart.

Hermione finds herself struggling to fit in the spinning globe of normality after the war, she is a qualified healer, has a relationship with Ron... everything is going on perfectly well... till she finds a dying patient in her hands, what if that patient is a Malfoy, and what if he becomes the reason for the relationship between her and Ron to seem tasteless??


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two: The Werewolf**

"i`m home." Hermione announced when she entered through the main door of the burrow. She shrugged her overcoat off and hung it on the stand near the hinges of the door. She could hear voices coming from the dining room so she headed straight there.

"Hermione dear," Mrs Weasley smiled at her as she entered, everyone else, except Ginny was sitting on the table, "come on, quick; we were just about to have dinner."

Hermione smiled and took her usual seat between Ron and Harry. The Weasley twins were seated on the chairs facing them, grinning broadly.

"where`s Ginny?" She bent towards Harry and asked in an undertone. Harry shrugged; Hermione noticed that a slight stiffness had taken over his posture at the mention of her name.

After dinner, at the end of which Ginny showed up, walking down the stairs, telling them that she had been in her bedroom packing her luggage for school which, would be beginning a week from now, Hermione bid them all farewell and apparated to her own muggle house. It was the daily routine, breakfast with the Weasleys, work, and then dinner with them too before retiring to her own house for the night. They had all insisted upon making her stay for the night too but she had said then that she felt much more contented with staying in her parent`s house. That was the only thing she had inherited from them and it gave her a sense of sanctuary knowing that her parents had lived here with her as long as they had lived.

She lied down on her bed and stared at the ceiling, willing herself to think about anything but her deceased parents. She tried to picture her friend`s faces, the family she had now, the Weasleys, Ron. He was trying as hard as he could to make her feel better, to forget all that she had lost, he was all that she could ever ask for. A perfect boyfriend.

As always the night passed on quickly with the lack of any dreams, and it was morning even before she could feel the tingly taste of sleep. Getting up, she went into the bathroom for refreshing and went downstairs to pour milk in Crookshanks bowl near the fire place. Then she apparated to the Burrow for the start of another uneventful day.

ONE WEEK EARLIER

The morbid jagged figure of a man circled the pale figure in the centre of the crowed of a dozen deatheaters, all of them looking spitefully at him. A dead body was lying a few feet away from him.

"now now…" the circling figure started, flashing his pointy teeth dangerously close to the young pale one`s face, but he didn`t seem to care. His nose was sticking up like he was above them all an eyebrow raised haughtily upwards as he stared into the beast`s beady eyes. "Your father wouldn`t-"

"Don`t talk about him." He cut him off coldly, not moving an inch.

There were a few mutterings in the circle around him but he was hardly paying attention.

"my my, aren`t we a little touchy about the subject?" he chuckled wildly for a full minute before stopping abruptly and looking fatally in those non faltering silver eyes which were dark with irritation at the moment, "you`ve killed someone of your own league, Draco. It's a crime that is hardly justifiable."

Draco seethed, hearing his name from that brute`s tongue. He just narrowed his eyes faintly but showed no other signs that he had heard him.

"I may as well kill you but there is no harm in giving you a second chance." He started circling again, Draco stared straight ahead. "all you have to do is bow to me. I`m your new lord, just bow and we`ll take everything back."

Draco took in a deep breath trying to drink down the outburst that was on the verge of escaping, "never." He said calmly.

"what? Sorry boy, I have discovered a hearing problem lately." He was goading him on purpose.

"I won`t bow to you Greyback." Draco hissed just as calmly.

"you won`t?" there was a hint of daringness in the werewolf`s voice, "that will earn you an instant death."

There was a small pause before Draco spoke, "so be it."

Their were a few gasps from within the crowd while huffed angrily, "I will _kill_ you!"

Draco didn`t move, that seemed to magnify the rage inside of Greyback. Just as he was transforming, Draco whipped out his wand and made a full rotation along his own axis, flying off the killing curses, hitting each one of the unarmed deatheaters square in the chests, they had dropped dead stanchly just as he faced the fully transformed werewolf, growling angrily.

"no, I won`t kill you _instantly_." Grey back snarled, "i`ll make you writher in pain."

Before Draco could lift his wand, Greyback lurched forward and dug his teeth at the side of Draco`s neck. The pain was unbearable and Draco collapsed from it. Letting the almost limp body drop on the mud, Greyback took a few steps away from him to take a good look at him.

"I would have loved to stand and watch the show but…uh… I have more important matters to attend to."

He disappeared out of sight, after flashing his teeth in a grin, leaving Draco lying on the dirt in the middle of the dead bodies of the deatheaters he had recently killed. His vision was getting obscured really quickly; he groped his robes` pockets frantically, clutching his neck with one hand. Taking out a small vial from within the fabric, Draco gulped it down all at once, feeling the pain ease out slowly as darkness engulfed him.

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Getting out of the elevator, Hermione inhaled deeply and walked towards her ward. On her way she heard a nervous voice behind her, "Miss Granger," Hermione recognized the voice as her assistant`s, "there have been some new entries in our ward."

Hermione moved her sideways to look at the young blond female walking beside her, she was barely a few years older than her, "how many times have I asked you to call me Hermione, Lacy?"

Lacy tapped her pen on the clipboard in her hands, "I can`t make an accurate guess." There was a hint of humor in her voice, Hermione smiled.

"I just wanted to tell you that Mr Diglude has shifted the patient on bed number seven three floors down."

"maladies of mental disabilities?" Hermione`s pace fastened upon the prospect of new ailing people in her ward.

"yes."

"well, thank you Lacy." Hermione took the file she had handed her, containing the reports about the new admissions. "how many?"

"six, madam."

"anyone serious?" She flipped through the pages as she entered the restricted environment of the ward. Few of the healers who had come earlier were taking reports on the newcomers, walking from bed to bed.

"two actually, one who had been under the cruciatus curse, he still fails to get out of the memory of it, and the other with a werewolf attack."

Author`s note: hey, sorry about the last few lines in the first chapter it was an accident, I assure you that…

let me know what you think guys, I'm waiting for the reviews… thanx… bubYE!!


	3. Chapter 3 unexpected encounters

CHAPTER 3

Hermione nodded to herself, making a mental note to recheck their reports. She started her round and walked pass the patients. Her usual subjects were responding better, relieving her of some part of the mental stress. She smiled at the first of the new entries; she was a plump witch in her mid-thirties. Her report said that she was found under the rubble of her house, unconscious, but she was doing quite well.

"so madam," Hermione began politely, "how are you feeling?"

"better." She beamed. It seemed as though she was really pleased to have survived, "my hand, it somewhat hurts slightly."

Hermione looked down at the clipboard again, there was no mention of the lady`s hand. Sensing her confusedness, Lacy leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "a broken wrist, the pain relieving potion must be wearing off."

"lets give her another dosage then." Hermione scratched the name and amount of potion in the report. Then she turned to her patient, she didn`t know why but she felt a sudden curiosity at the awfully jolly mood, she re-read the name of the woman, Kellen Harper, and began lightly, "so Kellen, what about your family, are they alright." She wondered if the question was too blunt but felt glad to receive the answer, it made her feel better. She learned that Kellen was married to Joe Harper, they had no kids and Joe had also survived the attack in their area. He was, in fact, lying on the bed next to hers, fully conscious and going through a mild treatment like her. _They would probably be discharged in a couple of days._ She thought happily.

She surveyed the other ones, noting gratefully that none was too shaken, until she reached the one who had been under the cruciatus curse. He was in his late sixties, an old man. Having seen the light ones, Hermione suddenly felt anxious upon seeing his mouth moving vigorously, eyes shut tightly. His arms were strapped to the bed to keep him from falling off due to the escapist movements he was showing. Seeing the silencing charm and the straps she felt agitated and asked Lacy in a voice pointier than she had meant, "why has Mr Albert been put under a silencing charm?" She had read the name from the clip board in her hand.

"uh…" Lacy shifted slightly under the probing gaze, "healer Mike thought that his shouts were disturbing the others."

"how are we to know what happened to him if we pretend that he`s not saying anything?"

"ma`am I talked to him about that but he was firm, I think you should talk to him yourself." Hermione could sense nervousness in her assistant`s voice and she knew that it was for good reason. Healer Mike was not one of the most pleasant people you could meet and he was used to take women to his advantage. Hermione had tried to explain this to Mr diglude several times but he said that he couldn`t do anything due to Mike`s close affinity with the Minister of magic, they had to bear him. Even though Hermione was technically his senior, although this gave him all the more reasons to take her as a challenge and flirt with her openly, but he still thought that she was beneath him.

She gazed across the room and caught a glimpse of the healer`s strong face, tapping his quill on his clipboard listening to one of the patients attentively. Hermione was always surprised at the contrast with which he treated his patients and normal people; he was always gentle with the ill. His curly ginger fringe was covering his green eyes slightly. There was no denying the fact that he was good looking but there was also no accepting either that his good looks covered up for his pathetic character. Sensing her eyes upon him he looked up to meet them and grinned sneeringly at her from across the ward. Hermione looked away abruptly, feeling the heat build up inside her; she knew how much Ron hated that person. Ron was always tight fisted around him, it was just because of Hermione`s job that he had, with a huge amount of difficulty, refrained himself from punching the freckled nose.

"I'll talk to him alright." Hermione muttered under her breath, sending him a glare from her shoulder. She then said loudly to Lacy, after scribbling a calming draught for Albert, "who`s next?" She flipped the page on her clipboard and was surprised to find no name on top of it, it only specified the place where the next patient was found and that he had been attacked by werewolf.

"we don`t know yet, he`s still unconscious and there were no relations to tell us about his whereabouts and personal information." Hermione studied Lacy`s face doubtfully before gesturing for her to lead the way.

A light gasp escaped Hermione`s lips as her eyes caught the sight of the platinum blond hair and the lean face. Although his appearance was considerably ragged, hair matted with dirt and his body just a mass of bones, Hermione could tell the person anywhere; Draco Malfoy. Noticing the sudden stagger in the healer`s façade, Lacy asked concernedly, "do you know him?"

Hermione shook her head to clear away the thoughts that were crossing her mind, memories from Hogwarts, and took a deep breath. She had a responsibility which was above all the childhood enmity grudges. "Yes Lacy." She handed her assistant the clipboard in her hand and moved forward to examine the patient.

"ma`am, would you tell the name and-"

"he is the last one, right?" she inquired, not looking at the blond witch standing next to her, when she nodded Hermione continued, " just leave the documents on the bedside table and give the others their medicines, I'll note down the required information myself."

When Lacy left, Hermione took a slow step towards the bed and stared down at its occupant. How could have Malfoy ended up like that? There was a big gash on the side of his neck, probably the werewolf bite. It had not been healed yet but the blood was cleared off for a better inspection. Hermione extended her hand and cautiously pulled up the left sleeve of his robes. She sighed in relief on discovering that there was no sign of the dark mark. She knew that he might have supported the dark lord during the war but was a great lift up that she didn't have to heal a deatheater, which he was not. She stared down at the pale skin, cold under her touch, and turned it sideways just to make sure.

A voice behind her made her jump and release the pale one`s arm, "you seem to have taken quite an interest."

She turned to glare at Mike and raised her eyebrows, "do you mind telling me, Mike, why have you put a silencing charm on Mr Albert?" Hermione steered the conversation to the topic of her convenience, her heart was still drumming in her chest because of the shock.

Mike walked up to the other side of the bed and looked down at Malfoy`s pastel face, pretending not to hear her, "how many time do I have to ask you to call me Hugh, _Hermione_?" he pressed his fingers at the side of Malfoy`s neck, not the side of the wound, to take the pulse.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him, fully aware that he was not looking at her, "I'm afraid I asked you a question." She paused; he was looking down at his wrist watch while his other hand took the pulse, "_Mike."_

Head still slightly bowed, Mike raised his green eyes and fixed them upon Hermione`s amber ones, she noticed a faint hint of a smirk on his face, "I`ve done just the same." He glimpsed down at his watch again before removing his fingers from Malfoy`s neck and extending his hand towards Her. She handed him the clipboard and the quill curtly, after noting down the pulse he handed it back.

Sensing her questioning glare at him he said stiffly, "it was necessary, I couldn`t allow him to ruin the environment of the ward." He ran a hand through his ginger hair. Hermione knew that as much of a pain he could be, Hugh Mike would never miss treat his patients on his own.

"Well, I`ll arrange a separate room for him." She placed the clipboard back after reading the pulse, it was relatively slow. She had guessed it would be due to the coldness of his body.

"No need." Mike said, this time deliberately not looking at her, "done that. He`ll be moved out after a while."

She furrowed her eyebrows, she didn`t know what to say. A cold silence enveloped the surroundings; Hermione was looking down at Malfoy`s form while Mike looked around aimlessly, trying to figure a way to excuse himself.

She looked at Malfoy`s right hand and noticed something clutched within his palm. She pulled it out of his grasp and saw a small crystal vial all the contents gone; there was no cap on it. She brought it near her nose and smelled it, it was odorless.

"what`s that?" Mike asked eyeing the vial in her hand.

Hermione held it out to him, after a moment`s hesitation, "he was holding it, maybe that`s the reason for his state of unconscious-"

"Hermione!"

Hermione looked up; she could see Ron making his way through the door behind Mike. Seeing the other with Hermione, he fastened his pace. Mike, however, stayed as he was, back facing the intruder, and just raised an eyebrow.  
"some day I'll have to put a silencing charm on _him_." Mike spoke through clenched teeth as Ron drew nearer.

Ron glared at him as he wrapped an arm over his girlfriend`s shoulders. Mike responded with a glare too. He then pocketed the vial and addressed the one next to him, his tone was less like in which they had been speaking to each other before, "I'll send it to the labs for testing, _Hermione_." He said coldly before turning away.

"what was he- whoa!" Ron practically took a big step back from the bed when he realized who was lying on it. Hermione had completely forgotten about Malfoy. "what`s _he_ doing here?"

"it's a hospital Ron, what can you expect?" Hermione tried to keep her tone light.

Ron kept observing him for a whole minute before saying, "Do you want Harry to talk to Diglude and transfer you to another ward?"

"of course not!" Hermione grabbed his hand, "I`m not a coward. Anyways, he`s still unconscious… even when he comes to his senses, he`ll not have his wand." She felt the badge on her chest start to vibrate. "come on, Harry`ll be waiting." With another glance at the ward, Hermione walked out with Ron.

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A/N: yeah well, here`s the third chapter, io know some migt think that Hermione is a little leaned towards Mike but you`ll get over the idea once Draco wakes up... hope you like it though...


	4. Chapter 4 waking up

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The results of the potion Malfoy had taken revealed it to be some sort of immunization draught that caused the drinker his consciousness. Thankfully, St. mongos had developed a revival pill for bringing him back.

Hermione grabbed her overcoat from the stand near the Weasley`s door and walked out after bidding them all goodbye. She apparated from the usual spot and made her way straight to the ward after getting out of the elevator. On her way she saw Mike making his way in the opposite direction, he was too engrossed in a paper in his hands to notice her and she was thankful for that. She sighed as she stepped inside. Mr Albert, he was responding better after the medical attention, had been shifted to a separate room. Malfoy, too, for that matter had been given his own room since it was Mr Diglude`s theory that if he had used the immunization then the virus could have become airborne and could affect those around him. He still hadn`t woken up.

Hermione met with all her patients, she was glad to hear from the Harpers, Kellen and Joe, Joe was going to be discharged today while Kellen was to stay here for only tomorrow. After updating their reports in their profiles, Hermione turned to lacy, who had appeared on her side, "to Mr Albert and Mr Malfoy?"

"yes." Lacy said and took the report files from Hermione. "do you want me to come?"

Hermione furrowed her eyebrows thoughtfully, "you stay here and give these people their medicines, I'll take a round myself." She turned around and headed for the door leading outside the ward.

Getting out, she let out a breath and looked down at the two files she had been handed by Lacy. Both showed progress, Malfoy had been given the revival pill and it all depended on the strength of the potion he had been taken that decided when he was going to wake up. She decided to visit Mr Albert first, the greater delay in seeing Malfoy, the better.

"… yes, I`ll do it… no don`t…" Mr Albert had regained consciousness the day before yesterday but he still used to get illusions in his sleep.

"sir, wake up." Hermione tapped her hand on his arm to relieve him of the nightmare he was having. He kept mumbling. "Mr Albert?" His eyebrows eased slightly at hearing the name and his voice lowered, although the mumbling didn`t stop. "wake up." She shook his shoulder, making him open his eyes and look around, flabbergasted. A moment later his expressions changed into relief.

"it was a dream." He whispered to himself, bringing a hand to his chest. Hermione nodded sympathetically, the moment he had woken up everyone had bombarded him with questions. It was discovered that Mr Albert lived in a small village in the south of California, which was attacked by the deatheaters. All of his family members had died after a great amount of torture. He had been able to survive just because of the fact that he was old and weak and that gave the deatheaters an impression of him not being able to survive the torture, that was why they hadn`t wasted much time on him, just after a few well aimed cruciatuses, they had left him there to let out his last breath.

"have you taken this potion yet?" Hermione pointed to the small bottle placed at the bed-side table. He looked at it as if trying to remember if he had seen it before then shook his head slowly.

Hermione picked it up and handed it to him, "here, drink it down." The potion relaxed the patient but prevented him from going to sleep. As soon as the contents were gone, the bottle refilled itself and Hermione took it from him. She placed it back and watched closely as the old man`s wrinkled face calmed down. When she was sure that he must have been feeling well enough to be left there on his own, Hermione walked out of the room, scribbling down the medicine she had just given him on the file in her hand.

As she reached Malfoy`s door, she saw the bronchial masks hanging on the adjacent wall. Recalling that his condition was considered somewhat airborne, Hermione pulled her hair back into a messy ponytail and pulled a green mask over her mouth and nose. She took a deep breath before turning the door knob and stepping inside.

The temperature was somewhat colder than the corridor outside and Hermione wondered if it was only her imagination. She walked up to the bed where a frail version of the Draco Malfoy she remembered was lying. Apparently, he hadn`t woken up yet. She laid the documents in her hand down on the bedside table where a number of vials of medicines were placed and focused her attention on his face. It was just as flawless, just as pale as she had remembered, the sharp curve of the jaw and the high cheek bones, it all instantly gave the man an air of pride. Hermione shook her head lightly, then extended her hand to place beneath the silky fringe of platinum blond. His forehead seemed to have retained the normal body temperature. Taking her pulse, she noted with slight relief that his heartbeat had fastened up a bit too. According to her calculations, they way his body had recovered from the revival pill, he should be waking up pretty soon.

She picked up the clipboard from where she had put it started writing down her analysis. She was in the middle of scribbling down some painkillers when she felt a light touch on her shoulder and before she knew it, she was dragged with strong arms till she was pinned to the wall a little away from the bed where her patient was lying, still unconscious.

He ran a hand through his hair, he didn`t know why but he was feeling aggravated today. Diglude had assigned him another night duty and he was getting sick of feeling like an imbecile in the eyes of everyone who looked at him. He politely requested the head to grant him the case of Malfoy personally, he was well acquainted with werewolf cases, but trust was something everyone around him had scarce to give. After a heated fifteen minute banter with Diglude, Hugh walked straight up to the subject`s room, wore his mask and turned the door knob. As he stepped in, his blood begin to boil, hadn`t he asked the faculty to hand him the case? So what was Hermione doing here? Why was she checking his patient?

Hermione looked up into those blazing green orbs and a chill ran through her whole spine. The clipboard and quill fell from her hands as she stared fearfully at his mask adorned face, the ginger curls slightly falling over his eyes. He was far too close, far too close for her to think properly. She could hardly move a muscle because of the way he was pinning her shoulders to the cold wall behind her. Hermione could have sworn that if they weren`t wearing the masks, she could easily have felt his breath on her nose.

"what are you doing here, Hermione?" He raised an eyebrow and asked icily.

Hermione managed to pass an awkward glare, feeling her face get red with fury and helplessness, "let go of me Mike!"

At this he let out a slow chuckle but inched his face away a little, "you do think that I'm a moron, don`t you?"

"yes." She said bluntly, trying to jerk her arms away from his grasp.

That seemed to do the trick, Mike narrowed his eyes threateningly at her and Hermione seemed to be paralyzed, she stopped moving all along, just gaped back at him vulnerably, she was frightened. Mike retreated on of his hands from her shoulder, knowing full well that the anxious girl was far from protesting now, he lowered his mask slowly. Hermione hoped against hope that this was not happening, she knew what was coming and the most terrifying fact was that she couldn`t even muster up the energy to look away, let alone push him. She watched as his hand extended to her mask, it was just about to make contact with it when suddenly the expressions on the healer`s face changed and he stopped. It was then that Hermione`s eyes strayed to the spot on Mike`s left shoulder where a pale hand was resting.

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author`s KIND note: so yeah, no need to say that the update was agonisingly late, no need to say that this chapter was a little short, no need to tell me that i suck for making Mike look like a meany bweeeny... anyways i`m FULLY open for any opinions, remarks and reviews... REVIEW people, yo can always tell me what is on your mind, no need to say that i told you not to write some stuff... no need to ask: DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TYPING MAN???


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